Folding chair



Oct. 3.1, 1939. w. w wrrMAN 2,178,195

FOLDING CHAIR Filed Sept. 8, 1938 [In iigl ci Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDINGCHAIR William Walter Witman, Harrisburg, Pa. Application september 8, 1938, serial No. 228,992

v molaims. (01455-142) This invention relates to folding chairs of the portable type in which the seat swings upwardly and' rearwardlyv during the collapsing or folding operation.

A great variety of such chairs is known to the art, but in practically every instance, unless the chair is of complicated' and therefore expensive construction, the uplifting of the seat must be accompanied by folding of the chair.

In large gatherings such as when used in auditoriums and the like, chairs are customarily arranged in relatively close rows' through which persons cannot pass unless those who are seated rise vand foldback their chair seats to provide the necessary standing clearance.

Obviously, kthe attendant folding of the chair.

` y Another .object is to provide in a folding chair of suoli character a novel operating linkage controlled by movement of the seat to eiect folding and unfolding of Vthe chair.

l A further object is to provide a folding chair i having avseat pivotally Asupported in a manner to' permit of a limitedvertical rocking movement thereof, when lowered, to render it self-conforming toV weight shifting movement of an occupant Without disturbing the bracing vorposition of the chair frame and legs. Y,

`Other objects will be readily apparent tothose Vskilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawing, in which like charactersy of reference designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the chair as unfolded, with a dotted line showing when swung to a vertical position.

of the seat Figure 2 is a iront elevation of the unfolded chair.

` Figure 3 is a side elevation of the chair atan intermediate stage of folding.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the chair coms-s cf Fig- Figure 6 is a sectional view similarto Figure 5 but with the chair in folded position.

Figure 'l is a section taken on the line I-T oi Figure 5. A

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation g 5 of the linkage connections.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.v y l In the disclosed embodiment the chair comprises4 a substantially U-shaped tubular metal 10 frame 8 providing a pair of parallel front legs 9 and having secured at its bight portion EG a back panel I I. The legs 9 are'braced by a horizontal tie rod I2 extending transversely therebetween substantially midway between the ends vof their straight portions, and by a second horizontal tie rod I3 adjacent their lower ends. Substantially midway between the `bight portion i0 and the tie rod I2 eachy leg has rigidly afiixed thereon a saddle member I4 having pivotally se- 20 Acured thereto'a depending rear leg I5; the two rear legsybeing connected by upper and lower horizontal'tierods I6 and I'I. The upper rod Iii is so located lthat when the chair is fully unfolded itl lie'sy horizontally above the horizontal 25 y plane of the front leg tie rod I2.

Below the tie rod I2, each front leg 9 has pivotally connected thereto through the medium of afstud 24 one end of a link I8, and at approximately the saine horizontal elevation withrespect v'to the'chairf'when unfolded each rear leg 45:1

has pivotally connected thereto by a stud I9 one Y' end of a link 20 which, at its opposite end, is pvotally connected to theinner end portion of the adjacent link I8 vby means of a pin 2l. 35 As shown in Figure 9, the pin 2l is stepped to provide lseparate bearing portions for the links with a slight clearance therebetween.

Each link I8 is formed adjacent its inner eX- tremity with a laterally pressed nub 22, and at 40 its extremity with an integral reversely bent lipi 22a on its lower edge which is adapted to underliefandembrace the adjacent link 20 when the chair is unfolded. The lips 22a provide stop means limiting swinging movement of the links in one direction, at which point the nubs 22 engage in recesses 22h in the links 20, and they are arranged to engage the links 20 under a slight tension or binding friction so that some appreciable degree of positive force is required to eect disengagement; the engagement of the nubs 22 `in the recesses 22h locking the links against dropping. A seat 23 is pivotally mounted between the front legs 9 on the horizontal tie rod I2 and may 55 be swung through a. vertical arc on the pivot thus afforded. The depth of the seat is such that at its rear edge it underlies the upper tie rod I6 of the rear legs and bears upwardly against the rod when the seat is fully lowered, as seen in Figure l.

A depending link 25 is pivotally connected at its upper end to an element of the seat adjacent each side edge and substantially intermediate its pivotal axis and rear edge, and at its opposite end is slidably connected with the pivot pin 2I of the adjacent leg-carried links; the pin playing in a longitudinal closed end slot 25 provided in the link 25.

In service, when the chair is fully unfolded with the seat in lowered position as shown in Figure l, the seat may be lifted to occupy a Vertical position without disturbing the setting of the links I8 and 2G connecting the front and rear legs. In this movement the seat swings on its pivot with the link 25 at each side sliding andpivoting over the pin 2l which connects the leg links. The length or" the slot 26 is, of course, sufficient to accommodate the play of the link. As the seat reaches the vertical position the pins 2l engage against the ends of the link slots 26 and further movement of the seat is checked.

When the seat is raised to the limit of its unimpeded swing, that being the point at which the ends of the slots 2li abut the pins 2I, the links 25 will have been moved below the leg links I8 and 20, as shown by dotted lines in Figure l. In this position of the parts a continued rearward movement of the seat causes the links 25 to exert a pull on the pins 2I which collapses the links I8 and 2!) and draws the rear legs in against the front legs. The chair is folded by moving the seat rearwardly from a vertical position. The seat functions as an actuating lever in effecting a folding operation due to the pull exerted by the links 25. It will also be apparent that when the seat is moved downwardly from the position shown in Figure Il to the full line position shown in Figure i, the links 25 will exert an upward pull on the pins 2| to effect unfolding of the chair. y

By reference to Figure 1 it will be particularly evident that in the unfolded position of the chair the seat is capable of a certain degree of rocking movement on its front leg pivots, whereby it is made self-conforming to shifting positions of an occupant. This arrangement makes for comfort, as anyone who has had occasion to sit for a long period of time on a rigid immovable chair seat in relatively cramped quarters will realize.

An important feature of the invention is the arrangement which permits of lifting the seat to a vertical position without initiating or requiring any collapsing or folding movement or" the chair legs. Thus the seat may be raised to its position of maximum clearance without disarranging the chair frame or altering its position.

The frictional binding engagement of the lips 22a with the links 2G when the chair is unfolded, together with engagement of the nubs 22, in the recesses 22h, insures against accidental breaking of the link joint and provides sufficient resistance to dene an abrupt stop limiting the extent of unimpeded upswing ofthe chair seat and indicating that further movement of the seat will initiate folding of the chair.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A folding chair comprising a frame including front legs and rear legs pivotally secured thereto, a pair or links pivotally connected at one ait/e end to said front legs, a pair of links pivotally connected at one end to said rear legs, means pivotally connecting the opposite end portions of adjacent front and rear leg links, a seat pivotally mounted between said front legs for swinging movement in a vertical arc, links pivotally connected at one end to said seat and having at their opposite ends a loose slidable connection with said means pivotally connecting the front and rear leg links together, and means for lirnting the downward movement of said seat to a substantially horizontal position.

2. A folding chair comprising a frame including front legs and rear legs pivotally secured thereto, a seat pivotally supported on said front legs for swinging movement in a vertical arc, a linked connection between the iront and rear legs at each side of said seat, a link pivotally connected at one end to said seat adjacent each side and in pivotal and slidable connection at its other end with the adjacent linked connection between said legs, and means for limiting the downward movement of said seat to a substantially horizontal position.

3. A folding chair comprising a frame including pivotally connected front and rear legs, a pair of links pivotally connected at one end with said iront legs, a second pair of links pivotally connected at one end to said rear legs, a seat pivotally supported between said front legs above said links for swinging movement in a vertical arc, a third pair of links pivotally connected at one end to said seat, a connection common to the opposite ends or the three pairs of links, and means for limiting the downward movement of said seat vto a substantially horizontal position.

Il. A folding chair comprising a frame including pivotally connected front and rear legs, a pair of links pivotally connected at one end with said front legs, a second pair of links pivotally connected at one end with said rear legs, a seat pivotally supported between said front legs and above said links for swinging movement in a vertical arc, a third pair of links pivotally connected at one end to said seat, means providing a pivotal connection common to the opposite ends of the three pairs of links, and means for limiting the downward movement of said seat to a substantially horizontal position.

5. A folding chair comprising a frame includ-Y ing pivotally connected front and rear legs, a pair of links pivotally connected at one end with said front legs, a second pair of links pivotally connected at one end with said rear legs, a seat pivotally supported between said front legs andI above said links for swinging movement in a vertical arc, a third pair of links pivotally connected at one end to said seat, a pivotal connection common to the opposite ends of all three pairs of links, said seat connected links being slidable relative to said common connection, and means for limiting the downward movement of said seat to a, substantially horizontal'position.

6. A folding chair comprising a frame including pivotally connected front and rear legs, a pair of links pivotally connected at one end to adjacent pairs of the legs and hinged together between the legs, a seat pivoted on said front legs above said links for swinging movement in( a vertical arc, a link slidably connected with one offsaid hinged links, said last-named link having at one end a pivotal connection to said seat, and means for limiting the downward movement of said seat to a substantially horizontal position.

'7. In a folding chair having a frame ncluding pivotally connected front and rear legs, a seat pivotally supported by and between said front legs, hinged links connecting the front and rear legs beneath said seat, and means operatively connecting a rear portion of said seat behind itsl pivotal axis with said hinged links whereby to actuate the links in one direction as the seat is swung on its pivot.

8. In a folding chair having a frame including .V p-ivotally connected front and rear legs, a seat pivotally supported byk and between the front legs and having a rear portion extending behind its pivotal axis, hinged links pivotally connecting said legs beneath said seat at each side thereof, and an actuator link pivotally connected to said seat at each side of its said rear portion and slidably and rockably connected with the adjacent hinged links. v

9. In a folding chair having a frame including pivotally connected front and rear legs, a seat pivotally supported by and between the front legs and having a rear portion extending behind its pivotal axis, a link pivotally suspended from said rear seat portion and having a longitudinal slot, a second link pivotally associated at one end with the front legs, a third link pivotally associated at one end with the rear legs, a pin pivotally connecting-the opposite end portions of said second and third links beneath said rear seat portion, `and said pin being slidably disposed through the slot in said seat connected link.

10. In a folding chair, a frame comprising a pair of front legs, a transverse tie rod connecting said legs substantially midway between their ends, a seat pivotally supported by said tie rod, a rear leg pivotally connected to each front leg above the pivotal axis of said seat, a transverse tie rod connecting said rear legs, said seat having a rear portion engagea-ble beneath said rear leg tie rod when the seat is in lowered position, a link pivoted at one end to a front leg below said front leg tie rod, a second link pivoted at one end to a rear leg-below said rear leg tie rod, a third link pivotally suspended from the rear-portion of said seat and having a longitudinal closed end slot, a pin pivotally connecting said second and third links together, said pin being slidable in said slot and providing a fulcrum on which said slotted link pivots during movement of the seat, and means on one of said first and second named links frictionally engageable with the other to impose initial resistance to collapsing movement of said links.

11. A folding chair comprising a frame including front legs and rear legs pivotally connected thereto, a link connection between the front and rear legs for releasably holding the same in an operative upright position, a seat pivotally supported on said frame for swinging movement in a vertical arc, a link extending between said link connection and said seat at one side of the pivotal axis of the seat and having a pivotal connection with one and a slidable and rockable connection with the other, and means for limiting the downward movement of said seat to a substantially horizontal position. f

l2. A folding vchair comprising a frame including pivotally connected front and rear legs, a pair of links pivotally connected to said front and rear legs and hinged together between said legs for releasabli,r holding the same in an operative upright position, a seat pivotally supported on said frame for swinging movement ina vertical arc, a link extending between said first-named links and said seat at one side of the pivotal axis of the seat and having a pivotal connection with one and a slidable and rockable connection with the other; and means for limiting the downward movement of said seat to a substantially horizontal position.

13. A folding chair comprising a frame including front legs and rear legs pivotally connected thereto, a link connection between the front and rear legs forreleasably holding the same in an operative upright position, a seat pivotally supported on said frame for swinging movement in a vertical arc, means operatively connecting said seat at one side of itspivotal axis tosaid link connection for actuating said link connection upon swinging movement of said seat to effect folding and unfolding of the chair but permitting the seat to be swung to approximately the full limit of its upward movement before actuating the link connection, and means for limiting the downward movement of said seat to a substantially horizontal position.

14. A folding chaircomprising a frame including front legs and rear legs pivotally connected thereto, a link connection between the front and rear legs for. releasablyholding the same in an operative upright position, a seat pivotally supported on said frame for swinging movement in a vertical arc, link means operatively connected to said link connection and said seat at one side of the pivotal axis of the seat for actuating said link connection upon swinging movement of said seat to eifect folding and unfolding of the chair but permitting the seat to be swung to approximately the full limit of its upward movement before actuating the link connection, and means vfor limiting the downward movement of said seat to a substantially horizontal position. 

